The Law of Unintended Consequences
by mock.byrd
Summary: AU. After the death of the Potters, Peter Pettigrew is captured and Sirius remains a free man. Devastated at his failure to protect his friends, Sirius turns his eye on the one person he can still protect – Harry. As ever, Remus is at his side. slash
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Inspired by Reddwarfer's _The Beauty of the Alternate Universe_ Challenge, found on The Silver Snitch . net

* * *

"Bloody glad that's done. Butterbeer?" Sirius pulled open the small refrigerator tucked under a steep eave. Remus shook his head and shifted over a stack of _Quidditch Daily: The Only Daily Source of Quidditch News, Rumours, and Gossip_ and slumped onto the sofa. A groaning creak made his eyes widen and he considered the beaten leather recliner buried under take-away boxes.

"Don't worry, it hasn't given way yet." Sirius used a foot to sweep the recliner clear before settling into it with a box of biscuits in one hand and a frosted butterbeer in the other. He held out the box in offering to Remus who shook his head. Sighing, Sirius let the box drop to his lap and he let his head fall back and his eyes close. "It's all a nightmare, isn't it?" He whispered the question as he brought the bottle to his mouth and sucked down a large gulp. "Isn't it?" This time the question came out with much more force.

"Do you want me to deny what's happened or commiserate?" Remus struggled out of the embrace of the couch and began to pace. His skin pricked with an inexplicable irritation and he wondered if the aurors had hexed him before he had left the Ministry. A long terrifying night followed by a mind-numbing day of official statements, reports and depositions had Remus teetering on the sharp edge of nervous breakdown and grief-induced catatonia. Stumbling over a pizza carton obscured by the pleated skirt of the couch, he slipped his wand out and, with a muttered spell, cleaned the room of empty food containers. "Denying won't change anything." Remus stopped behind Sirius's chair and let a hand drift down to settle on his shoulder. "They're gone and Peter's in custody." Remus swallowed, pushing down the sudden restriction in his throat. "They're gone."

Sirius scrambled up from his seat, the biscuit box and the bottle all tumbling to the floor. "I _know_. I _saw_." He stalked across the room and threw open a cabinet door. "Need something stronger."

Remus stared as his friend swept aside rows of shot glasses, each clinking against the other in a noisy fairy chorus, until Sirius cawed in triumph. Sirius spun around, grinning, as he held up his booty. A full bottle of Ogden's finest hung strangled in his fingers. "Knew I had some put up." He wiggled the bottle. "Fancy a round? Or more?"

Biscuit crumbs were sprawled across the dark carpet, some dark and bloated, soaked from the spill of butterbeer. Remus sighed and shrugged. "Sure. Why the hell not." And he flicked away the mess.

Sirius passed him a glass and raised his own. "To James and Lily. The best of us."

"Hear! Hear!" Remus knocked his glass against Sirius's with a tad more force than he should have, but as the glass hadn't broken he didn't worry about it. He slugged back the firewhiskey and smiled as it burned its way to his stomach.

Sirius refilled both glasses. "A couple of these and a good shag and everything else will wait 'til morning." Remus snorted as Sirius waggled his eyebrows and took his place back on the sofa. The creak transformed to a groan when Sirius landed on the cushion beside him. Sirius chuckled.

"Only you'd find humour about now."

Sirius punched Remus in the arm. "Thought you were the spy."

"I know."

"But you weren't."

Remus rolled his eyes but didn't reply.

"Voldemort was offering a good deal to the werewolves and I saw you once with Greyback…"

"It was Order business." Remus shook his head, appalled that Sirius was going to make him say this. That he even needed to say this. "You should have known that I was true to you."

Remus gasped as Sirius plastered himself against Remus's face. Sirius clutched Remus's shoulders, yanking Remus to him and swirling his tongue over Remus's firewhiskey soaked mouth. Remus felt the growl in his throat rather than heard it as he grabbed just as ferociously as he was being held and plundered Sirius's maw, teeth clacking and tongues slurping, just as he was being pillaged.

And then it simply became too much. Too good, too raw, too fierce. The entire night had become too much. Too much fear, too much pain, too much sorrow. Remus pushed and twisted away from Sirius and took up pacing again. "Too much."

Sirius huffed. "Not nearly enough, I'd wager." He sat back on the couch, panting and lips rose-red, eyes following Remus's switchback track. "C'mon. A shag will help."

"Will it?"

"Always makes me feel good." Sirius summoned the bottle of whiskey and poured his third drink.

"They'll still be gone."

The glass flew across the room, smashing against the far wall, leaving a dark splotch of stain. "I _know_!" Remus hunched where he stood seeing the agony cutting across Sirius's face. "I _know_! I _know_! I _know_!" Sirius sagged and ran both hands through his hair. "But there's not a bloody thing I can do to fix it and I'd just like to feel something besides-" He broke off and covered his face. Remus settled himself next to his grieving friend and wrapped an arm around Sirius's shoulder to pull him into an embrace.

Remus thought of the first words most people used to comfort, "it'll be all right," but that wasn't ever going to be true, so he chose to say nothing.

After some time, Sirius stirred and Remus felt it was okay to speak again. "Guess we'd better clean up before Harry gets here. Who's taking care of him right now?"

Sirius brows drew together. "What?"

"You are Harry's godfather, aren't you? James appointed you Harry's guardian if…" Remus trailed off.

"Yeah, _if_." Sirius snickered. "Guess no one ever expected that _if_ to actually happen."

"What are you talking about?"

"I met Hagrid, you know, _there_ and he had Harry. Said Dumbledore had given him instructions and he wouldn't give me Harry." Sirius summoned another glass and stuck his hand between the sofa cushions and felt for the whiskey bottle.

"Dear Merlin." Sirius snickered again at hearing Remus's so-called wizarding profanity. Remus had picked it up their second year at Hogwarts wanting to sound more wizardly. James and Sirius had teased him mercilessly about it, but invoking Merlin had stuck. "You don't think Dumbledore sent Harry to Lily's sister?"

"She's a Muggle! Why would he do that?" Sirius drained his glass and held out the bottle to Remus who declined with a shake of his head.

"Because then Harry could grow up in a family environment. Lily told me that Petunia had a little boy a month or so before she had Harry."

Sirius made to pour himself another drink but Remus tugged the bottle from his hand and banished it to the cabinet. Sirius growled, lunged and ended up sprawled on his back on the floor. He lay quietly for a long moment, eyes closed and Remus assumed he had passed out. Remus jumped when Sirius started speaking. "Those Muggles couldn't protect Harry. We should check on him."

Remus gave a long, heavy sigh. When Sirius said they should do something, they usually did – whether they should or not. "Sirius, the headmaster would never place Harry anywhere where he would be in danger. If he left Harry with Petunia, then he had a good reason."

Sirius opened his eyes and glared at Remus. "Except that it isn't Dumbledore's decision. James and Lily decided that Harry should be with me." Sirius rolled over and pushed himself to his feet. He swayed for a moment and Remus reached out to steady him. Sirius snatched his arm away. "Let's go." He spun and lurched toward the door.

"Sirius…" Remus followed wishing his friend would look before he leaped. "I'm not sure this is a good idea."

Wheeling around, Sirius jabbed a finger at Remus. "I won't risk my godson." He waited until Remus nodded. "Now, where'd you say Lily's sister lived?"

"I didn't." Remus told a hold of Sirius's upper arm. "But I know where. Let me take us both there."

Sirius poked Remus in the chest with that same finger. "I may have failed James, but I won't fail Harry."

… to be continued …


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Inspired by Reddwarfer's _The Beauty of the Alternate Universe_ Challenge, found on The Silver Snitch . net

* * *

Alcohol and Side-Along Apparition are a dangerous combination. The world lurched alarmingly under Sirius's feet and he clutched Remus's arm. The werewolf felt solid under his hands and calmed the swirling dizziness eddying around him. He risked a glance around him. Remus had brought them to stand under a signpost, whose foggy white letters glowed ghostly in the Muggle streetlight and blended together into an indecipherable puddle. Sirius shook his head, trying to clear it, and the earth tilted again.

"Merlin, Sirius! Let's reconsider this tomorrow." Remus slid an arm around Sirius's back and under his arm to keep him upright. "Harry will be fine for one night."

Sirius locked his knees, straightened his back and pushed off Remus. "Want to explain your one night theory to James and Lily?"

Remus looked like he had been punched and Sirius winced. A sad look followed even as Remus turned away sending a cold wash of shame over Sirius's skin. Reaching out, he squeezed Remus's shoulder gently. "I need to check on Harry. I need to make sure he's okay."

Remus nodded. "This way." Sirius followed as Remus set off along the pavement.

Sirius stared at the houses as they walked. He couldn't be sure which one they were headed to because to his eye they all looked the same. Identical home butted up against identical home and they marched along each side of the street as in a military review. Only the house numbers seemed to differentiate them.

"Duplicating charm?"

Remus snorted. "Of course not. It's a matter of economy. Shall I Disillusion you?"

Sirius shook his head. "So, they're poor?" Money was not something Sirius had ever done without. Sure, growing up in the bigoted pureblood Black household had its downside, but he had never suffered due to any material lack. It wasn't until he had met Remus that he began to see how poverty exacerbated problems. As a werewolf, Remus would've suffered. As a poor werewolf, Remus suffered more. Everyone had problems. Better to be rich and have difficulties than to compound trouble with empty pockets.

Harry was destined for trouble. Sirius grinned. After all, Harry was the son of a Marauder. The smile faded quickly. High jinx aside, Sirius had spoken to several Aurors while at the Ministry earlier and many of the Death Eaters were unaccounted for. Some of the followers fanatically loyal to Voldemort would seek revenge. Yes, trouble was coming for little Harry and Sirius was damned if he was going to let some poor Muggles try to handle it.

With a muttered incantation, Remus had Disillusioned himself. His disembodied voice quietly replied. "They live comfortably. Another child in the house wouldn't be a strain."

"We'll see." Sirius shifted into Padfoot.

Padding behind Remus, the first thing that Padfoot detected wasn't a scent, but a sound. The muffled cry of a child which grew louder as they neared one of the homes and Sirius concluded it was coming from the house that they were approaching. Remus turned onto the walkway at number four and Padfoot dashed past him. The window facing the street was obscured by drapes, so Padfoot cut around the side of the house, leapt over the fence and trotted around to the back. Remus followed, grumbling on how they shouldn't be doing this even as he scrambled over the fence.

The Dursleys were remodeling. Part of the rear wall of the house had been removed and was covered with overlapping plastic sheets. A concrete slab had been poured in the shape of half of a hexagon and large bolts poked up in each angle. To Padfoot it looked like the lower jawbone of some mammoth creature that Hagrid would've wanted to play with. Dodging construction material stacked in the yard, Padfoot wiggled his way over to the edge of the opening.

Pressed close to the wall, ears perked, Padfoot listened. The wailing of the child still sounded strangely muffled and he couldn't figure out why. Remus carefully crossed the yard and stood beside him, keeping out of the light filtering into the yard through the nearly translucent plastic.

A clink of china sounded out between the sobs and then a man spoke. "Will he ever shut up?" His voice had the sharp edge of frustration.

"He'll give up eventually, Vernon," replied a waspish feminine voice.

Padfoot made to lunge but a strong hand grabbed his fur and restrained him. Remus crouched beside him and whispered to the snarling animagus. "Don't. Just listen." Padfoot snuffed but sat.

"How are we ever going to explain this to Marge." Vernon was speaking again.

"I was thinking of the neighbors." Petunia sounded worried. "What will they think?"

"There, there, Pet. I'm sure they'll only think the best of you by taking in some orphaned wastrel."

Petunia sniffed. Sirius growled low in his throat while Remus stroked him soothingly. The muffled crying tapered off and for a brief moment the world revolving around Privet Drive was quiet and still.

"You think he'll be some sort of freak like _them_." There was disgust in Vernon's voice.

"We'll keep him from Dudders, Dearest."

"There'll be none of that funny business, Pet. If we're stuck with him, then he'll grow up normal."

"Of course, Vernon. He'll never know anything about all that."

Sirius pushed himself to his feet. All his muscles vibrated and he felt Remus's fist tighten its grip. How long did Remus expect him to continue to listen and not act?

"And Dudders won't be doing without. I won't let some freak cousin steal food from his plate." Vernon pounded on the table in emphasis. This must have startled the child because the wailing began again.

"Bloody hell!" Vernon smashed his fist once again on the table.

"Let's go upstairs," soothed Petunia. "We won't be able to hear him in the cupboard from there."

Sirius lurched from Remus's grip, ignoring the torn fur, and crashed through the plastic sheeting.

… to be continued…


End file.
